Comrades often includes 2:08 has beens. Not current 2:08 runners. Sub 2:08 runners are focused on more prestigious races like big marathons.[/quote]
2:08 runners can either win 3rd tier marathons or make top 10 of WMM (in case they are accepted as elites), in each case they will make about $5’000. Not a more prestigious achievement than winning Conrades IMO. If most current 2:08 marathoners had
a decent shot at Comrades, I think many more would attempt it.
That being said one 2:08 has-been did win Conrades in 1994. His name was Salazar. He had an unusually high endurance and pain threshold.